Lost: 5Ghz radio RT-N66U unable to activate!

[xon]

After reading for more then a year on this forum I got my own proble


First..sorry for my bad English

I love to get the most of my equipment. On my RT-66U I tried all the new firmware and installed a few dualband antenna's (directional). I love experimenting to get the best signal in my house.

After trying some different settings and restarting some time ago I noticed something strange. The 5Ghz is disabled even when it's activated in the software! ( I can't see the ssid also so there is no signal)

It looks like this:

[/IMG]

You can see that the radio is turned on but the icon in the upper right is "half". So the radio is off!

I tried EVERYTHING! soft reset..hard reset...recovery (although I don't know for sure if I worked and I use the right practice) but the 5Ghz is off and stays off.

Hope you guys can help me and have some suggestions that I can try?

thanks!!

 

[joegreat]

I tried EVERYTHING! soft reset..hard reset...recovery (although I don't know for sure if I worked and I use the right practice) but the 5Ghz is off and stays off.

Hope you guys can help me and have some suggestions that I can try?

Hi,

The factory reset is simple to achieve via the web interface:
Administration - Restore/Save/Upload Setting - Factory default - Press "Restore".
After reboot you start with a fresh router!

As you are on a old(er) firmware: Go for the latest one from Merlin .41 or even from Asus (is a little bit newer).
Then do the factory reset and try again - 5 GHz should then work again (I predict)!

With kind regards
Joe

 

[xon]

Thanks for your reply...still when I said that I tried everything..I tried everything Thats also including resetting it to default settings many times (in the software or holding the WPS button while powering)

To be sure I again did that:

- Reset all to default (with button)
- Default setting was loaded (have to configure it again)
- 5ghz is still off and the 5ghz LED on the modem is off
- Loaded new firmware (beta 2 .41 as you can see)

To make it visual:

[/IMG]


There is something else interesting:

this is a screenshot of the temperature and there you can see that it is disabled.

It looks like a setting beyond the factory reset..

What can I do guys?

 

[RMerlin]

- Loaded new firmware (beta 2 .41 as you can see)

374.41 final was released a week ago - no reason to be running a beta.

Try disabling the wireless scheduler. It shouldn't matter if you did a factory default reset, but just in case.

Also look at your System Log for any error related to eth2 (that would be the 5 GHz interface).

 

[xon]

374.41 final was released a week ago - no reason to be running a beta.

Try disabling the wireless scheduler. It shouldn't matter if you did a factory default reset, but just in case.

Also look at your System Log for any error related to eth2 (that would be the 5 GHz interface).

Ahh missed the final..

As about the 5ghz

- wireless scheduler turned off and restarted but (like you thought) no result
- Copy the system log to wordpad and search for eth2 but found nothing. eth0 en eth1 I found a few times (starting some services)

back to where I started

other suggestions? Is there something i can try 'beyond' a factory reset? I don't have a spare router or something so it's difficult to send it back to asus and wait for weeks..

Open for suggestions..

 

[jlake]

Try ASUS stock firmware. Unplug your USB drives before you flash it.

http://support.asus.com/download.aspx?slanguage=en&m=RT-N66U+(VER.B1)&os=8

If ASUS stock firmware works, then go back and make sure you're downloading the correct firmware from Merlin's site.

What is the model number of your 5ghz wireless adapter?

 

[RMerlin]

Ahh missed the final..

As about the 5ghz

- wireless scheduler turned off and restarted but (like you thought) no result
- Copy the system log to wordpad and search for eth2 but found nothing. eth0 en eth1 I found a few times (starting some services)

back to where I started

other suggestions? Is there something i can try 'beyond' a factory reset? I don't have a spare router or something so it's difficult to send it back to asus and wait for weeks..

Open for suggestions..

See what's written just before the first reference to eth1. There should be something mentioning Broadcom and a driver version number. A second line should appear just underneath it for eth2.

 

[joegreat]

Copy the system log to wordpad and search for eth2 but found nothing. eth0 en eth1 I found a few times (starting some services)

Hi,

You can connect to the router via Telnet (download Putty and enable it on the roputer under Administration / System / Enable Telnet = Yes) and issue the command:

service restart_wireless

With a result in syslog.log similare to this:

May  1 22:36:59 rc_service: service 4821:notify_rc restart_wireless
May  1 22:37:02 kernel: device eth1 left promiscuous mode
May  1 22:37:02 kernel: br0: port 2(eth1) entering forwarding state
[COLOR="Red"]May  1 22:37:02 kernel: device eth2 left promiscuous mode[/COLOR]
May  1 22:37:02 kernel: br0: port 3(eth2) entering forwarding state
May  1 22:37:06 kernel: wl_module_init: passivemode set to 0x0
May  1 22:37:06 kernel: wl_module_init: txworkq set to 0x1
May  1 22:37:06 kernel: eth1: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 6.30.163.2002 (r382208)
[COLOR="Red"]May  1 22:37:06 kernel: eth1: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 6.30.163.2002 (r382208)[/COLOR]
May  1 22:37:06 syslog: module proxyarp not found in modules.dep
May  1 22:37:06 kernel: device eth1 entered promiscuous mode
May  1 22:37:06 kernel: br0: port 2(eth1) entering listening state
May  1 22:37:06 kernel: br0: port 2(eth1) entering listening state
[COLOR="Red"]May  1 22:37:06 kernel: device eth2 entered promiscuous mode
May  1 22:37:06 kernel: br0: port 3(eth2) entering listening state
May  1 22:37:06 kernel: br0: port 3(eth2) entering listening state
[/COLOR]May  1 22:37:10 kernel: br0: port 2(eth1) entering learning state
[COLOR="Red"]May  1 22:37:10 kernel: br0: port 3(eth2) entering learning state
[/COLOR]May  1 22:37:14 kernel: br0: topology change detected, sending tcn bpdu
May  1 22:37:14 kernel: br0: port 2(eth1) entering forwarding state
May  1 22:37:14 kernel: br0: topology change detected, sending tcn bpdu
[COLOR="Red"]May  1 22:37:14 kernel: br0: port 3(eth2) entering forwarding state[/COLOR]

I have marked the eth2 entries in red.

Let us know what you see...

With kind regards
Joe

 

[xon]

SOrry for the late reply..was working all day

Alright..I restarted "wireless" with the system log below:

May 2 23:43:57 syslogd started: BusyBox v1.20.2
May 2 23:43:57 kernel: klogd started: BusyBox v1.20.2 (2014-04-16 20:28:31 EDT)
May 2 23:43:57 rc_service: httpd 319:notify_rc restart_time;restart_httpd;restart_upnp
May 2 23:43:57 syslogd exiting
May 2 23:43:57 syslog: Password for 'admin' changed
May 2 23:43:57 RT-N66U: start httpd
May 2 23:43:57 start_nat_rules: apply the nat_rules(/tmp/nat_rules_eth0_eth0)!
May 2 23:43:57 dnsmasq[425]: exiting on receipt of SIGTERM
May 2 23:43:59 dnsmasq[20155]: started, version 2.68 cachesize 1500
May 2 23:43:59 dnsmasq[20155]: asynchronous logging enabled, queue limit is 5 messages
May 2 23:43:59 dnsmasq-dhcp[20155]: DHCP, IP range 192.168.1.2 -- 192.168.1.254, lease time 1d
May 2 23:43:59 dnsmasq-dhcp[20155]: DHCP, sockets bound exclusively to interface br0
May 2 23:43:59 dnsmasq[20155]: read /etc/hosts - 5 addresses
May 2 23:43:59 dnsmasq[20155]: using nameserver zip#53
May 2 23:43:59 dnsmasq[20155]: using nameserver zip#53
May 2 23:43:59 RT-N66U: start httpd
May 2 23:43:59 miniupnpd[20175]: HTTP listening on port zip
May 2 23:43:59 miniupnpd[20175]: Listening for NAT-PMP/PCP traffic on port 5351
May 2 23:44:56 login[20364]: root login on 'pts/0'
May 2 23:45:04 rc_service: service 20416:notify_rc restart_wireless
May 2 23:45:07 kernel: device eth1 left promiscuous mode
May 2 23:45:07 kernel: br0: port 2(eth1) entering disabled state
May 2 23:45:10 kernel: wl_module_init: passivemode set to 0x0
May 2 23:45:10 kernel: eth1: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 6.30.163.2002 (r382208)
May 2 23:45:10 kernel: wl driver 6.30.163.2002 (r382208) failed with code 21
May 2 23:45:13 kernel: device eth1 entered promiscuous mode
May 2 23:45:13 kernel: br0: port 2(eth1) entering listening state
May 2 23:45:13 kernel: br0: port 2(eth1) entering learning state
May 2 23:45:13 kernel: br0: topology change detected, propagating
May 2 23:45:13 kernel: br0: port 2(eth1) entering forwarding state
May 2 23:45:19 dnsmasq-dhcp[20155]: DHCPREQUEST(br0) 192.168.1.178 c8:f7:33:3e:42:e8
May 2 23:45:19 dnsmasq-dhcp[20155]: DHCPACK(br0) 192.168.1.178 c8:f7:33:3e:42:e8 laptop_R
May 2 23:45:21 dnsmasq-dhcp[20155]: DHCPREQUEST(br0) 192.168.1.56 00:04:20:22:08:a7
May 2 23:45:21 dnsmasq-dhcp[20155]: DHCPACK(br0) 192.168.1.56 00:04:20:22:08:a7 SqueezeboxTouch

I deleted some unique IP adresses. You can see..et2 not even in the log!

I guess this is bad: May 2 23:45:10 kernel: wl driver 6.30.163.2002 (r382208) failed with code 21


@jlake I already tried the stock firmware
@rmerlin as you can see in the log: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 6.30.163.2002 (r382208)

 

[RMerlin]

SOrry for the late reply..was working all day

Alright..I restarted "wireless" with the system log below:

I guess this is bad: May 2 23:45:10 kernel: wl driver 6.30.163.2002 (r382208) failed with code 21


@jlake I already tried the stock firmware
@rmerlin as you can see in the log: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 6.30.163.2002 (r382208)

Post the result from right after a boot rather, so we can tell if the issue occurs as the router is booting, which could indicate a hardware failure.

 

[xon]

here ya go:

Jan 1 02:00:06 syslogd started: BusyBox v1.20.2
Jan 1 02:00:06 syslog: module ledtrig-usbdev not found in modules.dep
Jan 1 02:00:06 syslog: module leds-usb not found in modules.dep
Jan 1 02:00:06 kernel: klogd started: BusyBox v1.20.2 (2014-04-16 20:28:31 EDT)
Jan 1 02:00:06 kernel: start_kernel
Jan 1 02:00:06 kernel: Linux version 2.6.22.19 (root@asus) (gcc version 4.2.4) #1 Wed Apr 16 20:29:07 EDT 2014
Jan 1 02:00:06 kernel: CPU revision is: 00019749
Jan 1 02:00:06 kernel: Determined physical RAM map:
Jan 1 02:00:06 kernel: memory: 07fff000 @ 00000000 (usable)
Jan 1 02:00:06 kernel: memory: 08000000 @ 87fff000 (usable)
Jan 1 02:00:06 kernel: Built 1 zonelists. Total pages: 585216
Jan 1 02:00:06 kernel: Kernel command line: root=/dev/mtdblock2 noinitrd console=ttyS0,115200
Jan 1 02:00:06 kernel: Primary instruction cache 32kB, physically tagged, 4-way, linesize 32 bytes.
Jan 1 02:00:06 kernel: Primary data cache 32kB, 4-way, linesize 32 bytes.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Synthesized TLB refill handler (20 instructions).
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Synthesized TLB load handler fastpath (32 instructions).
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Synthesized TLB store handler fastpath (32 instructions).
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Synthesized TLB modify handler fastpath (31 instructions).
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PID hash table entries: 2048 (order: 11, 8192 bytes)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: CPU: BCM5300 rev 1 pkg 0 at 600 MHz
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Using 300.000 MHz high precision timer.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: console [ttyS0] enabled
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Dentry cache hash table entries: 65536 (order: 6, 262144 bytes)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Inode-cache hash table entries: 32768 (order: 5, 131072 bytes)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Memory: 238608k/131068k available (2572k kernel code, 22624k reserved, 515k data, 196k init, 131072k highmem)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Mount-cache hash table entries: 512
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 16
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Initializing host
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Reset RC
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Initializing host
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Reset RC
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Fixing up bus 0
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI/PCIe coreunit 0 is set to bus 1.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Fixing up bridge
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Fixing up bridge
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Enabling device 0000:01:00.1 (0004 -> 0006)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Fixing up bus 1
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI/PCIe coreunit 1 is set to bus 2.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Fixing up bridge
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Fixing up bridge
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Enabling device 0000:02:00.1 (0004 -> 0006)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Fixing up bus 2
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 2
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Time: MIPS clocksource has been installed.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: IP route cache hash table entries: 4096 (order: 2, 16384 bytes)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: TCP established hash table entries: 16384 (order: 5, 131072 bytes)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: TCP bind hash table entries: 16384 (order: 4, 65536 bytes)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: TCP: Hash tables configured (established 16384 bind 16384)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: TCP reno registered
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: highmem bounce pool size: 64 pages
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: squashfs: version 3.2-r2 (2007/01/15) Phillip Lougher
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: io scheduler noop registered (default)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: HDLC line discipline: version $Revision: 4.8 $, maxframe=4096
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: N_HDLC line discipline registered.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Serial: 8250/16550 driver $Revision: 1.90 $ 4 ports, IRQ sharing disabled
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: serial8250: ttyS0 at MMIO 0xb8000300 (irq = 8) is a 16550A
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: serial8250: ttyS1 at MMIO 0xb8000400 (irq = 8) is a 16550A
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PPP generic driver version 2.4.2
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: MPPE/MPPC encryption/compression module registered
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 24
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PPPoL2TP kernel driver, V0.18.3
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PPTP driver version 0.8.5
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Physically mapped flash: Found 1 x16 devices at 0x0 in 16-bit bank
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Amd/Fujitsu Extended Query Table at 0x0040
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Physically mapped flash: CFI does not contain boot bank location. Assuming top.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: number of CFI chips: 1
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: cfi_cmdset_0002: Disabling erase-suspend-program due to code brokenness.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Flash device: 0x2000000 at 0x1c000000
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Creating 5 MTD partitions on "Physically mapped flash":
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: 0x00000000-0x00040000 : "pmon"
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: 0x00040000-0x01fe0000 : "linux"
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: 0x001757f0-0x01a00000 : "rootfs"
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: 0x01fe0000-0x02000000 : "nvram"
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: 0x01a60000-0x01fe0000 : "jffs2"
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Found an serial flash with 0 0KB blocks; total size 0MB
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: sflash: found no supported devices
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: dev_nvram_init: _nvram_init
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: sdhci: Secure Digital Host Controller Interface driver
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: sdhci: Copyright(c) Pierre Ossman
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: u32 classifier
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: OLD policer on
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Netfilter messages via NETLINK v0.30.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: nf_conntrack version 0.5.0 (2048 buckets, 16384 max)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: ipt_time loading
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: ip_tables: (C) 2000-2006 Netfilter Core Team
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: net/ipv4/netfilter/tomato_ct.c [Apr 16 2014 20:29:06]
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: ipt_account 0.1.21 : Piotr Gasidlo <quaker@barbara.eu.org>, http://code.google.com/p/ipt-account/
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 1
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 10
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: ip6_tables: (C) 2000-2006 Netfilter Core Team
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 17
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: 802.1Q VLAN Support v1.8 Ben Greear <greearb@candelatech.com>
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: All bugs added by David S. Miller <davem@redhat.com>
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: VFS: Mounted root (squashfs filesystem) readonly.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Freeing unused kernel memory: 196k freed
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Warning: unable to open an initial console.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: ctf: module license 'Proprietary' taints kernel.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: et_module_init: passivemode set to 0x0
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: et_module_init: et_txq_thresh set to 0x400
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: bcm_robo_enable_switch: EEE is disabled
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: eth0: Broadcom BCM47XX 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet Controller 6.30.163.2002 (r382208)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: wl_module_init: passivemode set to 0x0
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Enabling device 0000:01:01.0 (0000 -> 0002)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: eth1: Broadcom BCM4331 802.11 Wireless Controller 6.30.163.2002 (r382208)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Enabling device 0000:02:01.0 (0000 -> 0002)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: wl driver 6.30.163.2002 (r382208) failed with code 21
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: Algorithmics/MIPS FPU Emulator v1.5
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: JFFS2 version 2.2. (NAND) © 2001-2006 Red Hat, Inc.
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver usbfs
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver hub
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: usbcore: registered new device driver usb
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: SCSI subsystem initialized
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: USB Mass Storage support registered.
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: ufsd: driver (8.6 U86_r187446_b122, LBD=ON, acl, ioctl, rwm, ws, sd) loaded at c027c000
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: NTFS (with native replay) support included
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: optimized: speed
Jan 1 02:00:08 syslog: module cdc_ncm not found in modules.dep
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: Build_for__asus_n66u_2011-10-27_U86_r187446_b122
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: ehci_hcd: USB 2.0 'Enhanced' Host Controller (EHCI) Driver
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: ehci_hcd 0000:00:04.1: EHCI Host Controller
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: ehci_hcd 0000:00:04.1: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 1
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: ehci_hcd 0000:00:04.1: EHCI Fastpath: New EHCI driver starting
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: ehci_hcd 0000:00:04.1: irq 6, io mem 0x18004000
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: ehci_hcd 0000:00:04.1: USB 0.0 started, EHCI 1.00
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: usb usb1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: hub 1-0:1.0: USB hub found
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: hub 1-0:1.0: 2 ports detected
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: ohci_hcd: USB 1.1 'Open' Host Controller (OHCI) Driver
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: ohci_hcd 0000:00:04.0: OHCI Host Controller
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: ohci_hcd 0000:00:04.0: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 2
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: ohci_hcd 0000:00:04.0: irq 6, io mem 0x18009000
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: usb usb2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: hub 2-0:1.0: USB hub found
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: hub 2-0:1.0: 2 ports detected
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver usblp
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: drivers/usb/class/usblp.c: v0.13: USB Printer Device Class driver
Jan 1 02:00:08 kernel: usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 2

had to shorten it a bit because of max 10000 text

 

[jerry6]

Looks like what happened to my netgear 3700 v-1 , 5 ghz radio went out ,
what does this line mean ?
""Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: PCI: Enabling device 0000:02:01.0 (0000 -> 0002)
Jan 1 02:00:07 kernel: wl driver 6.30.163.2002 (r382208) failed with code 21""

 

[RMerlin]

If you get the same error line after a factory default reset then your router is defective.

 

[ryzhov_al]

If you get the same error line after a factory default reset then your router is defective.

I faced twice with this bug. It's CFE's NVRAM image with missed "pci/1/x/.." value(s). Without this values wl driver can't fire up wireless interface.

 

[Pierino]

What if one of us gives him a good cfe copy? He can edit his Mac and PIN numbers in and copy it over his?

 

[RMerlin]

I faced twice with this bug. It's CFE's NVRAM image with missed "pci/1/x/.." value(s). Without this values wl driver can't fire up wireless interface.

That's weird, because it would mean that anyone with that specific CFE version would face the same issue whenever doing a factory default reset. Was the issue only in a specific CFE version?

 

[ryzhov_al]

Was the issue only in a specific CFE version?

1.0.1.2, a well known version.

 

[RMerlin]

1.0.1.2, a well known version.

I never had that issue here, and my router has 1.0.1.2.

 

[ryzhov_al]

I never had that issue here, and my router has 1.0.1.2.

Me too. I've compared default NVRAM values between mine CFE and "sick" ones. They haven't necessary NVRAM vars at all! After embedding them to CFE 5GHZ PHY is working.

Here is a diff between old NVRAM init code and new one, take a look at pci/x/x NVRAM initialization. As you can see the new one is relying on rc-code and old one — on CFE itself. I think there is a few number of routers with no pci/x/x init at all

 

[Pierino]

I have an rt-n66w with 1.0.1.4. Do you want a copy of that to compare also?